looking for the lorax: My dog is ecstatic to wake up. I am not sure if...

A post about Bella Jean taken from my other blog.

looking for the lorax:


My dog is ecstatic to wake up. I am not sure if...: "My dog is ecstatic to wake up. I am not sure if she is greeting the day or her pack that she has not seen in hours of sleep. But whatever..."

Animal Connection: West Virginia Man Brutally Tortures and Kills 29 D...

Animal Connection: West Virginia Man Brutally Tortures and Kills 29 D...: "In another shocking case showing the link between domestic violence and animal cruelty, a 19-year-old man in West Virginia was arrested ..."

& another reason to get your new best friend from a shelter

Here is a sad story in the Seattle Times about animal advocates in Missouri who worked to diminish puppy mills through legislative measures and the governor who overturned those measures.

For some reason "responsible" breeders in Missouri feel their businesses will be hurt by limiting the number of female dogs they can own to 50, only breeding a dog twice in an 18 month period, and - you'll love this one - "requiring the cages be tall enough so all dogs can stand up straight."

I am mystified about Missouri's Gov. Jay Nixon's decision to Repeal the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act after it was voted in by the majority of Missouri's voters. Um.... hellooo....remember democracy? Majority allegedly rules.

According to the article, the American Kennel Club opposed this bill because it limited the number of dogs a breeder could own. In the AKC's mission statement they claim to "protect the health and well being of all dogs". On their website it also says this: "We're more than champion dogs. We're the dog's champion." Why would a "responsible breeder" wish to have more than 50 female dogs? And why would a group that claims to be pro-dog and claims to uphold high standards of the breed oppose this bill?  Are they really the dog's champion?
Champion of pain and discomfort maybe. Many of the puppies who come out of puppy mills go to their new homes sick - mange, heart worms, hip dysplasia - you name it. For the AKC to oppose an anti puppy mill bill goes against one of the organizations core values. Again, I am mystified.

And the most confusing of all - why would anyone fight against regulation that requires dog owners to give their dogs space to stand? We're just talking about space to stand upright in a cage - not space to run, balls to fetch, ropes to tug, children to hug - just a enough room to stand.  & these so-called "responsible" are against that.
Sure - eventually they will have to provide the dogs with somewhat humane conditions. Breeders now have 5 years to provide their dogs with cages large enough for them to stand. They could probably build these with chicken wire in 5 weeks.

Again, I am mystified by all of this.

All I can say is Please - Don't Shop. Adopt. 

Anyone who has a dog that is a food hound (so, basically anyone who has a dog) will probably get this. This is hilarious to me. Enjoy.

Update on Bella's diet

Bella has lost a whole one pound (& I have found it)! She no longer snubs green beans & will even take them as treats..... sometimes.

decisions .. decisions

Bella is on a diet ...... again. Boy, was she mad!


We went to vet the other day for her annual checkup, vaccinations etc. Seems that every time we visit the fine folks at Animal Hospital I get lectured about my chubby puppy. This time was no different.

 Bella should know the routine by now though: Vet visit....a couple of weeks with limited treats... then life slowly  returns to normal.

But this time (as all the other times) will be different. Thin dogs are healthy dogs. My husband & I love our little muttie and want her to be with us as long as possible. And I have known too many people whose dogs have had to go through knee surgeries.

Keep her light and fit. Keep her healthy.

The vet "suggested" cutting her food with green beans. Green beans are the good source of fiber, she said. It will help her fill fuller, she said. Bella will beg less, she said.

So, I threw some green beans into her supper. They were smallish pieces of bean. But not so small that my discerning dog couldn't eat around them.. which she did.

Then I offered one of my beans - from my fork. A tasty treat & and honor to have the human offer food from her magic utensil. Yes?

Bella actually made a "pfft" sound as she spit the green bean out.

The next morning I cut the beans up so small she had no choice but to eat them. Eat them she did. But it was not a happy tail wagging morning. She expressed herself by lying 5 feet away and butt toward me and putting on a very pouty face.

Diets are no fun for anyone. 

Just some pics

One thing Bella got used to early on was the camera.

close up at 5 mos.

Bella at the beach "illegally" at 10 mos.  

And she never seemed to mind posing. Or having her picture taken. Good thing.  

looking presidential as a puppy

I am kind of a freak with taking pictures. Especially since the introduction of digital cameras.

One time my computer crashed. I lost all of her puppy pictures. Devastating.

cooling off

Luckily, I had posted quite a few on Dogster.com & was able to retrieve them. 

selling guitars with Daddy

Now I try to back everything up in many different places - memory sticks, web sites, this blog

"Oh, you wanted to practice asana now Momma?"

So, this is as much me being practical as it is being obsessive about my dog.

"Gotta stick" 

O.k well maybe not as much. 

Anyway, if you happen to stumble across this blog, I hope you enjoy the pictures. Feel free to leave comments. 

Such a daddy's girl.

Remember to wag more & bark less

&

Have a doggy dog day. 

Peace & wags,

Jenn&BellaJean